Bristled product

ABSTRACT

A BRISTLED PRODUCT INCLUDING A BACKING PORTION MADE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL AND PLASTIC BRISTLES INTEGRAL THEREWITH. THE BACKING PORTION IS IN A ZIG-ZAG OR ACCORDIAN OR PLEATED CONFIGURATION SUCH THAT IT MAY BE COLLAPSED TO POSITION THE BRISTLES CLOSER TOGETHER THAN IN THE EXTENDED CONDITION.

Ja n. 5, 1971 Filed Aug. 7. 1968 @llllllllllllllllllillm L. F. KUTIK L-BRISTLED PRODUCT 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTORS LOUIS F. KUTIK BYERICH W. GRONEMEYER Jan, 5, 1971 K ETAL3,551,936

BRISTLED PRODUCT Filed Aug. 7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LOUIS F.KUTIK I BY ERICH vv. GRONEMEYER Q m, MM

United States Patent W U.S. Cl. -187 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA bristled product including a backing portion made of plastic materialand plastic bristles integral therewith. The backing portion is in azig-zag or accordian or pleated configuration such that it may becollapsed to position the bristles closer together than in the extendedcondition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is related to the inventionsdescribed and claimed in the previous U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 26,403 and3,357,058 of Louis F. Kutik which respectively cover a bristled productand method and apparatus for making such bristled product. In theearlier of these patents, a brush is disclosed in which the bristles areintegral with the backing portion of the brush, and the bristles of eachadjacent row are staggered with respect to the other bristles and havefiat sides and sharp edges, such being particularly desirable intoothbrushes for good flexing and cleaning action. The injection moldingof such brushes is covered in the later patent, and this involves theuse of a mold of relatively thin laminations with the laminations havingslots cut entirely therethrough in the shape of the bristles to beformed, the slots communicating with a cavity for forming the backingportion of the brush.

In some cases, it is desirable to make brushes ha-ving relatively longbristles, examples of such brushes being paint brushes, brooms,industrial brushes, utility brushes and others. It has been found as apractical matter that if the slots in the laminations are more thanabout six times longer than the center-to-center spacing between slots,there is an excessive tendency for the material of the laminations orplates between slots to bend sidewise and thus narrow a slot. Thisinterferes with the proper molding of the bristles, and can alsointerfere with removal of bristles from the slots.

It has also been found that in some cases it is desirable to increasethe density of the bristles beyond that obtained with the bristledproduct in the condition it has when it is removed from the mold. Thus,with a given spacing of slots in a plate or lamination of the mold, agiven distance between rows of bristles will be attained. For somebrushes, such as paint brushes, it is desirable to have the rows ofbristles closer together than is obtained by normal spacing of theslots, and this is particularly true where the brush is to have longbristles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention alows the use of slottedlaminations or plates for molding bristled products with long bristlesby providing means for bracing the material be tween slots to preventsidewise deflection thereof during the molding process. In a preferredembodiment, the bracing means consists of pins which extend throughopenings in the plates, there being at least one opening between eachadjacent pair of slots. The longer the slots, the more openings, andpins are provided between each adjacent pair of slots. The use of suchpins requires a relatively great lateral separation between eachadjacent pair of slots, and since the slots of alternate plates are3,551,930 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 aligned, the rows of bristles in theproduct formed by the mold will also be widely separated. The inventionprovides a way of reducing the separation between these rows ofbristles, and this is accomplished by molding the backing of the productin a zig-zag or accordian or collapsible configuration such that it maybe collapsed to position the bristles closer together than in theextended condition of the backing portion. The invention includes theproduct with the zig-zag backing. The product may include a holderretaining the backing portion in the collapsed condition and providing ahandle to be grasped in manipulating the product where it is used as abrush or broom.

An object of the invention is to provide a bristled product including aplastic backing portion and plastic bristles integral therewith whereinthe backing portions can be collapsed to increase the density of thebristles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bristled product havinga backing portion and integral bristles wherein the backing portion hasa pleated configuration facilitating collapsing or folding thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pleated backing for abristled product having peaks and valleys with rows of bristles locatedrespectively at the valleys and with the peaks between the rows ofbristles so that the backing can be collapsed to position the rows ofbristles closer together than in the extended condition of the backingportion.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bristle brush of the type having abacking portion with relatively long bristles integral with the backingportion;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing three of a plurality ofplates or laminations which are assembled together with pins to form amold for molding the brush of FIG. 1;

BIG. 3 is a perspective view of a large number of laminations as shownin FIG. 2 assembled together;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a mold utilizing thelaminations of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the plates orlaminations of FIG. 2 to utilize longer slots, the material betweenslots being braced by two pins-instead of one as in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a paint brush in a partiallydisassembled conditon showing a pleated backing with relatively longbristles integral therewith;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the paintbrush of FIG. 6 in assembled condition, and also showing in dashed linesthe condition of the parts of the brush just prior toassembly;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a mold in which the pleatedbacking and bristles for the brush of FIGS. 6 and 7 can be molded; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional View of a collapsed backing portion withintegral bristles held in place by a holder having a handle thereon.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phaseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

As shown on the drawings:

A brush is shown in FIG. 1, and includes a plastic backing portion orhead 12 and a plurality of elongated plastic bristles 14 integral withthe head 12 and projecting from one side thereof. This brush is of thetype described and claimed in the aforementioned Pat. No. 3,214,777 andso will not be described in detail herein. It is worth mentioning,however, that the bristles 14 may be arranged in parallel rows, and thatthe bristles in adjoining rows may either be aligned with each other ormay offset from each other depending upon the type of mold which is usedto fabricate the brush.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate a mold assembly in accordance with theinvention which may be used in fabricating the brush 10 of FIG. 1.

The mold 16 (FIG. 4) includes a plurality of laminations or plates 18which are specifically designed to facilitate the injection molding ofrelatively long bristles 14 on the backing portion 12 of the brush.Laminations 18 are of two types, those designated 18a being providedwith slots 20 and those designated 1811 having no slots therein. Slots20 are cut, ground or otherwise formed entirely through plate 18a andhave the shape and dimensions desired for the bristles 14. The slots 20open at the top edge 22 of plate 18a, and when all of the plates 18 areassembled in a mold 16 and as in FIG. 4, the open ends 20 at edge 22communicate with a cavity 24 having the shape and dimensions of thebacking portion 12 of the brush. It may be that the unslotted plates1811 on opposite sides of plate 18a close the slots 20 at the sidesthereof so that the slots are closed on all sides except at the openends which communicate with cavity 24.

In the mold 16 of FIG. 4, the plates 18 are clamped together laterallyby blocks 26 and 28, and holding force may be applied to one of theblocks such as 28 by suitable clamping or holding means. In theillustrated embodiment, a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder device isemployed which has a piston 30 for applying force to the block 28 tohold the plates 18 together. It will be understood, however, that otherholding means can be employed, and a wedging device for this purpose isdescribed and claimed in applicants Pat. No. 3,357,058. Additionalblocks 32 and 34 are provided on the top and bottom respectively of themold 16, and the block 34 cooperates with blocks 26 and 28 and plates 18to define the cavity 24 for the backing portion of the brush. Similarblocks are provided at the front and rear ends of the mold.

Plasticized material is introduced into the cavity 24 through a passage36, and this plasticized material is in jected under pressure intocavity 24 and the slots 20 of the slotted plates 18a. When the plastichas solidified, the mold is separated and the brush is removed fromcavity 24 and slots 20. The structure for separating the mold and forremoving the brush from the mold may be of the type illustrated in FIGS.18 and 19 of applicants prior Pat. No. 3,357,058.

It has been found that when the slots 20 are made more than about sixtimes greater in length than the width W which is the center-to-centerspacing between the slots 20, there is a tendency for the materialbetween the slots, such as at 40, to bend sideways as a result of aninjection pressure. Thus, a slot at one side of the material will benarrowed and a slot at the other side of the material 40 will beenlarged. This not only makes the bristles formed by the slotsnon-uniform in size, but it may also interfere with the removal of thebristles from the slots. Specifically,

those slots which are narrowed as a result of the deflection of thematerial 40 might tend to bind a bristle formed therein, and thus makeit diflicult to remove a bristle from the slot.

In accordance with the invention, this problem is solved by bracing thematerial 40 between each adjacent pair of slots 20 to prevent sidewisedisplacement of the material 40. In the illustrated embodiment, thisbracing is accomplished by providing at least one opening 42 through thematerial 40 between each adjacent pair of slots, and by providing pins44 which extend through the openings 42 and engage the material 40 toprevent it from being deflected. The pins 44 fit snugly in the openings42 so that they contact material 40 and hold it against displacement. Ofcourse, openings 46 are also provided in the plates 18b on oppositesides of plate 18a, the openings 46 being in alignment with respect tothe openings 42 in plate 18a. Thus, each pin 44 is inserted through analigned set of openings in the plates 18a and 18b. Although only threeplates are shown in FIG. 2, it will be readily understood that openings42 and 46 are provided in all of the plates 18 included in the assemblyof plates shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Somewhat larger openings 46' and 42are provided in the material at the ends of the plates 18a and 18b asshown, and the pins 44 fitted in these openings are also somewhat largerthan pins 44. It will be understood, however, that this difference insize is not essential.

At the ends of the plates 18a and 18b opposite those where the openings42 and 46 are provided, additional openings 50 and 52 are formed in allplates to receive guide pins 54 and 56 for retaining the respective endsof the plates in alignment. The pins 54 and 56 may extend only throughthe thickness of the plate assembly as shown in FIG. 4, or they mayextend through blocks 26 and 28 if desired.

The longer the bristle defining slots, the more tendency there is forthe molding pressure to deflect the material btween the slots. FIG. 5shows an embodiment in which a plate 60 is provided with slots 62 whichare substantially longer than the slots 20 of FIG. 2, although the slots62 are in all other respects similar to the slots 20. It is apparentwith slots as long as the slots 62, the material 64 between eachadjacent pair of slots is comparatively weak and may be very easilydeflected if their is a substantial imbalance of pressure in the twoslots on opposite sides of the material 64. Accordingly, to brace thematerial 64 properly, two openings 66 and 68 are provided in thematerial 64 between each adjacent pair of slots, and two pins 70 and 72are received snugly by the openings 66 and 68. Of course, openings 74and 76 are provided in the plates 78 on opposite sides of plate 60 inalignment with openings 66 and 68 respectively in order to receive thepins 70 and 72. It will be apparent that the pins 70 and 72 extendthrough a whole series of plates identical to the plates 60 and 78 shownin FIG. 5. Guide openings 80 and 82 and guide pins 84 are also provided.

In order to receive the pins 44 in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 4or the pins 70 and 72 in the embodiment of FIG. 5, it is apparent thatthe material between slots must be wide enough to accommodate the pins.Since this width might be greater than is desired for the spacingbetween rows of bristles in some brushes, it is desirable to providesome way of increasing the density of the bristles. This has beenaccomplished in the embodiment of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 by providing a brushwhich has a collapsible backing portion, as will now be described.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a brush which has a plastic backing portion 92with a zig-zag or pleated configuration allowing it to be collapsed. Thebacking portion 92 includes a series of peaks 94 and a series of valleys96 with rows of bristles 98 being provided respectively on the valleys96 of the backing portion. The peaks 94 are located between the rows 98of bristles. The backing portion 92 may be molded integrally at 100 withholder members 102 and 104, and the holder members 102 and 104 may bejoined together in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7 to form a holder forthe brush, the holder providing a handle 106 to be grasped inmanipulating the brush. Alignment pins 107 and 109 are provided onmember 104 to be received in openings in member 102 when these membersare assembled as in FIG. 7. In the completed brush, the holder members102, 104 cooperably define a socket receiving the compressed backingportion 92 therein.

In FIG. 7, the backing portion 92 and the holder members 102 and 104 areshown in dashed lines in an extended condition prior to assembly to formthe complete brush. When the holder members 102 and 106 are broughttogether, the pleated backing portion 92 collapses or folds to theconfiguration shown in solid lines in FIG. 7, thus positioning the rowsof bristles 98 closer together than when the backing portion is in itsextended condition.

FIG. 8 illustrates the method and apparatus for molding the backingportion 92 and rows 98 of bristles shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Since thisapparatus is very similar to that shown in FIG. 2, like referencenumerals will be used for like parts. A plurality of plates 18 areprovided and as indicated in FIG. 2, there are slotted plates 18a andunslotted plates 18b on opposite sides of plates 18a.

Only the slotted plates 18a are shown in FIG. 8. The bristle definingslots 20 open at their ends into a zig-zag or accordian-fold shapedcavity 24' which is defined by the edge 22 of the plate 18a and a block110 which is also part of the mold. The edges 22 of the plates 18 have azig-zag configuration desired for one surface of the backing portion 92,and the block 110 also has a zig-zag configuration at projections 112matching that of the edges 22' but spaced from those edges so as todefine the cavity 24'. The pins 44 for bracing the material 40 betweeneach adjacent pair of slots are apparent, as are the pins 54 and 56 foraligning the plates 18.

The mold includes side blocks 114 and 116, an upper block 118, andsuitable surrounding structure for retaining the plates 18 in the properpositions. Clamping blocks similar to blocks 26 and 28 of FIG. 4, and aholding device similar to piston 30 may also be used.

In molding the backing portions 92 and the bristles 98, plasticizedplastic material is injected under pressure through a passageway 120into the backing-defining cavity 24 and from there into the slots 20.After the plastic has solidified, the mold is separated and the bristledproduct is removed from the mold. The backing portion 92 formed by themold is then collapsed and held in collapsed condition as with holdermembers 102 and 104 in the manner described previously.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIGS. 6 and 7. In thisembodiment, the bristled product 130 includes a plastic backing portion132 of a pleated configuration held in a collapsed or compressedcondition by a holder 134 having a handle 136 which can be grasped inmanipulating the product. The backing portion 132 is initially molded tohave a pleated configuration like the backing portion 92 shown in FIG.6. Thus, backing portion 132 has peaks 128 and valleys 140, with therows 142 of bristles projecting from the valleys 140. The peaks 138 arelocated between the valleys 140. Thus, when the backing portion 130 iscompressed and collapsed as shown in FIG. 9, the valleys 140 contacteach other and the peaks 138 also contact each other to give a certainamount of rigidity to the backing portion, even though the peaks andvaleys are fiat in this embodiment. The backing portion 132 includesupturned sides 144 which are received in slots at the sides of theholder 134 and portion 144 have lips 146 which, together with thefingers 148, secure the backing portion 132 in place in the receivingsocket defined by the holder 134 and the fingers 148.

Thus, the invention provides bristled products which facilitates theprovision of long bristles on the products, and also provides a way ofincreasing the density of the bristles, even though the bristles areintegral with the backing portion of the product. The structure involvedin the product is not complicated and all that is required to increasethe density of the bristles is to collapse or compress the backingportion of the product. The method and apparatus for molding the producthave been provided with eflicient means for preventing sidewisedeflections of portions of the bristle-defining plates. This allowslonger bristles to be molded on the product. The structure forpreventing such deflection is compatible with the molding of thecollapsible backing portion, as has been described.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a bristled product of the type including a backing portion havinga plurality of bristles projecting from one side thereof, theimprovement wherein said backing portion has a collapsed condition andan extended condition and in the extended condition thereof said backingportion has a pleated configuration and includes a plurality of valleysat which rows of bristles are respectively located and a plurality ofpeaks located respectively between adjacent ones of said valleys, saidbacking portion being collapsible into said collapsed condition whereinsaid rows of bristles are closer together than in said extendedcondition of said backing portion.

2. The bristled product as claimed in claim 1 including a holder forsaid backing portion holding the same in said collapsed condition.

3. The bristled product as claimed in claim 2 in which said holderincludes a handle to be grasped manually to permit manipulation of saidproduct.

4. The bristled product as claimed in claim 2 in which with said holderholding said backing portion in said collapsed condition thereof, saidvalleys of said backing portion are in contacting relation each with thevalleys at the side or sides thereof.

'5. In a bristled product of the type including a backing portion madeof plastic material and a plurality of plastic bristles integral withsaid backing portion, the improvements wherein said backing portion hasa pleated configuration and includes a plurality of peaks and valleyswith rows of bristles located at least at said valleys, said backingportion having a collapsed condition wherein said rows of bristles arerespectively adjacent to each other, and handle means having a retainingsocket receiving the compressed backing portion there- 1n.

6. In a product as defined in claim 5, the further improvement of saidhandle means being integral with said backing portion and comprisingseparate sections secured together to define said socket.

7. In a product as defined in claim 5, the further improvements of saidhandle means being separate from said backing portion and means securingsaid backing means in said retaining socket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,739,324 12/1929 Neissl 15-2022,171,591 9/1939 =Minich 15-l88X 2,871,494 2/1959 Weyl 15-203X 2,986,6066/1961 Weyl l5-203 3,398,419 8/1968 Carlos l5146X 3,402,416 *9/1968 Shawet a1. 15-187X FOREIGN PATENTS 886,285 1/1962 Great Britain.

PETER FELDMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

